Final Thoughts....

We're back!!! We had an incredible time with Koos and his team in Mozambique. We camped out in the village of Macacaza near the village school, which was deserted and appeared to be out of commission. We spent our days visiting various clusters of huts. My (this is Kate speaking) idea of an African village was a fire pit with a gathering of huts around it, with all of the villagers living close to each other. That was not the case in this village. Each family had its own collection of huts, and each group of huts was a 5 or 10 minute hike from the next one. We did a lot of walking.

Koos has been working with villages in this area for about 4 years. There are several believers in Macacaza, but no pastor or church (in the way we think of a church). Our visit was an encouragement to our brothers and sisters there. One woman named Rosa had a glow that could light a room (which was good, because we did not have electricity). She thanked Koos for coming to teach the villagers about God. From a Western perspective, it might seem that what Koos was doing (teaching a basic Bible lesson) was not that ground-breaking, but for believers who do not have a shepherd living among them and leading them, what Koos is doing is revolutionary and life saving. This week reminded us how much we take for granted as well-resourced, "plugged-in" Christians. We have sermons at our fingertips and books on every shelf, yet often we lack that personal touch of Christ that was this woman's foundation.

We also worked with the children who lived in the local village. We played tag, gave hugs, sang songs, shared stories and passed out school supplies. What a humbling experience to love on these children who long to be loved unconditionally. What a true blessing.

As we finished our time in Africa, we had much to reflect upon. So many thoughts filled our head and we were asked so many questions that may never be answered. And yet, we still have many to answer as we come back to the States.-"How was Africa?" was among the first to be asked. And how do you answer that with all that was learned? We literally saw the poorest of the poor, the effect of AIDS, the importance of relationships and still saw the goodness of God. We are still trying to convey to our friends and family exactly what we are feeling and so excited to share!

Thank you. Thank you for your prayers and for your consistent love. They are coveted.

Enjoy the pictures from Mozambique and please continue ask us how we are feeling. We love sharing our hearts.

Peace, love and Africa,
Rachelle and Kate

rlpichardo@yahoo.com
katherine.schoen@gmail.com